How to get around Ireland
Navigating Ireland is straightforward with a variety of public and private transport options. Here's what you need to know about getting between and within its cities and towns.
Inter-City Travel
Traveling between cities in Ireland offers various options. Buses are generally the most affordable for long journeys, with major operators like Bus Éireann, Irish Citylink, and Dublin Coach providing extensive routes. Expressway, a Bus Éireann service, offers inter-urban coaches. A single adult bus fare for city services in Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford can be around €1.50 with a TFI Leap Card. For longer intercity routes, prices vary, but buses remain a budget-friendly choice.
Trains, operated by Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail), offer a comfortable and reliable alternative, particularly on main routes radiating from Dublin to cities like Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Westport, and Tralee. Train tickets for routes like Dublin to Cork can start from approximately €33. Booking in advance online often provides the lowest fares.
Car rental provides the most flexibility and is a more expensive option, especially during peak seasons like August. The average daily cost for a car rental in Ireland can be around €37, but prices can range from as low as €9 per day for smaller cars during cheaper months like November, to over €100 per day. Fuel costs and cross-border fees for Northern Ireland should also be considered.
Travel Within Cities
Within Irish cities, particularly Dublin, public transport is well-developed. Buses are a primary mode of travel. Dublin Bus operates services across the city, including 24-hour routes. Go-Ahead Ireland also runs city bus routes in Dublin. A TFI Leap Card significantly reduces costs, offering a TFI 90-Minute fare of €2 for adults, which allows for transfers between Dublin Bus, Luas, DART, and commuter rail services within a 90-minute window in Dublin's Zone 1.
Cash fares on Dublin Bus are higher, for example, a short fare is €2.00 and a long fare is €2.60. Daily and weekly fare caps apply for Leap Card users, meaning charges stop once a certain amount is spent within a day or week. Single city fares in Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford using a TFI Leap Card are €1.50 for adults.
Dublin's tram system, Luas, connects various parts of the city. Similar to buses, using a TFI Leap Card is more economical, and the TFI 90-Minute fare applies. Single tickets can be purchased at Luas stops from vending machines, with prices depending on the number of zones traveled.
Taxis are the most expensive option for city travel. In Dublin, an initial charge is around €4.20, with a per-kilometer rate of €1.30, increasing to €1.65 after 15 km. A taxi from Dublin Airport to the city center typically costs between €25 and €35 during the day, and €32 to €45 at night. A standard journey within Dublin city center usually costs between €8 and €15. Additional fees may apply for extra passengers or phone bookings.
